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White Scars
Jaghatai Khan]] The White Scars are a Loyalist Space Marine Chapter and one of the First Founding Legions of the Adeptus Astartes. Known and feared throughout the Imperium of Man for their highly mobile way of war, the White Scars are considered the masters of the lightning strike and hit-and-run attack and are particularly adapted to the use of the Astartes Assault Bike as their mechanical steeds and their forces contain an unusually large number of Bike Squads compared to other Chapters. Bearing the ritual scars of bravery, these fierce warriors fight with all the tribal savagery that define the fierce steppe nomads of their homeworld Mundus Planus, bringing swift death to all of the enemies of the Imperium. Chapter History Jaghatai Khan Scattered across the galaxy through the Warp from the Emperor of Mankind's secret gene-laboratory beneath the Himalayan Mountains of Terra along with the 20 other Primarchs by the machinations of the Ruinous Powers of Chaos, the gestation capsule of the special child later known as Jaghatai Khan was deposited on the vast steppe-lands of the fertile Feudal World of Mundus Planus. The inhabitants of Mundus Planus, who knew the world as Chogoris rather than by its official High Gothic name, had managed to struggle back from the terrible destruction of the Age of Strife to a pre-industrial level of technology. The dominant Planan culture was technologically analogous to that of the Renaissance period of the 2nd Millennium in ancient Terran history by the time of the Great Crusade in the early 31st Millennium, having just rediscovered how to incorporate gunpowder into its weapon systems. Most of Mundus Planus was under the rule of an organized feudal aristocracy, led by a monarch known as the Palatine. Jaghatai was discovered just after his arrival on the world as a small child by Ong Khan, the chieftain of a small Planan nomadic tribe called the Talskars, who adopted the extraordinarily beautiful infant into his family, foreseeing that he would one day become a great warrior unlike any other the steppe-lands had ever known. Jaghatai’s adoptive family was later killed by another of the tribes inhabiting the Planan steppes, the Kurayed. Already the greatest warrior in the Talskar tribe, despite his young age, Jaghatai led many Talskar warriors in vengeance against the Kurayed. He razed the enemy village to the ground, killing every inhabitant, and took the Kurayed chieftain’s head to mount above his own tent. Following this victory, Jaghatai was elected as the Khan of the Talskars, in the process swearing to unite the tribes of the steppes and bring an end to the internecine tribal warfare that dominated their lives. Each tribe Jaghatai and his warriors defeated was integrated into the Talskar tribe. Jaghatai utilized his military talents and the sheer force of his superhumanly charismatic personality to win himself many followers. He made military service with his army mandatory among the Planan steppe tribes, and combined warriors of various tribes into mixed units, to break up previous associations and to create a common loyalty among them based in the foundation of their allegiance to him. Jaghatai's abilities enabled him to weld together a coalition of the steppe tribes to battle a Chaos Cult whose foul power was spreading throughout the main continent of Mundus Planus. In the final battle, he led 10,000 steppe warriors on horseback in a gallant charge against the cultists and their crude black powder cannons. Despite horrendous losses, the Planan tribes' charge smashed the enemy. The tribesmen pursued the cultists, butchering every one of them as they tried to flee. Jaghatai and his warriors went on to conquer most of the continent. Ten years later, after having united the tribes of the steppe region known as the "Empty Quarter", Jaghatai was caught in an avalanche. He was discovered by the son of the Palatine, who like many Planan nobles had taken to the sport of capturing an Empty Quarter tribesman and hunting him through the mountains. The exact course of events is unknown, but it was said that a single man of the hunting party returned, bearing the head of the Palatine’s son along with a message for that ruler. "The people of the steppes are yours no longer." The enraged Palatine gathered his army and marched west, to engage the wild horse tribes of the Empty Quarter in combat, but was soundly defeated in a battle that lasted a day and a night. Heavily armoured in mail and plate armour, and accustomed to engaging in decisive melee combat with other heavy cavalry and heavy infantry forces supported by light infantry arquebusiers, the Palatine’s pike-and-shot army was no match for the light cavalry and relentless bowfire of Jaghatai’s forces. The Palatine barely escaped capture, but was eventually killed as Jaghatai’s army flowed into the lands once held by the Planan aristocracy, either conquering or destroying everything in their path. Jaghatai’s power now encompassed the planet’s lone continent, a global empire forged across the breadth of Mundus Planus in less than twenty standard years. The Coming of the Emperor Jaghatai’s campaign ended less than six months before the Emperor of Mankind came to Mundus Planus as part of his Great Crusade. Recognizing the Emperor as a man who embodied his own ideal of unity for all Mankind, though on a far broader stage than he had even imagined, the Primarch swore fealty and bent the knee to his father. In return, he was given command of the V Space Marine Legion that had been created from his genome on Terra. The V Legion was quick to adopt the long honour scars of the Talskar tribesmen as a new Legion custom, and renamed themselves the White Scars after transferring their fortress-monastery to Mundus Planus. Many of Jaghatai’s army chose to follow their leader, becoming the first generation of White Scar Astartes recruited from their new Legion homeworld of Mundus Planus rather than Terra. Great Crusade ]] The lightning fast style of mobile warfare that had served Jaghatai Khan so well on the steppes of his homeworld proved to be equally effective on the many different battlefields of the Great Crusade; the White Scars became involved in some of the bloodiest battles of the time. Khan and Leman Russ, the Primarch of the Space Wolves Legion, were said to be the closest of brothers and friends, largely due to the similarity of their respective home cultures and societal values, as well as the cultures of their Legions. When these two Primarchs and their Legions joined forces they proved unstoppable in spreading the Imperial Truth across the galaxy. Horus Heresy The Legion's legend grew with the events of the Horus Heresy, when the White Scars fought on hundreds of worlds for over 7 standard years against the Traitor Legions and the other Forces of Chaos. Unlike many of the other Primarchs, Jaghatai never even considered betraying the Emperor for the service of the Ruinous Powers. Such a course would have been dishonourable in the extreme since the Emperor had done no wrong to his sons and also because Jaghatai so deeply believed in the Emperor's goal of reunifying the entire human race under a single ruler so that it might claim final dominance over the Milky Way Galaxy. The White Scars Legion had already been engaged for several standard years in a punishing campaign against the Orks of the Chondax System when the news of Horus' betrayal of the Imperium and the actions of the Traitor Legions at Istvaan III and the Drop Site Massacre of Istvaan V reached the White Scars' Expeditionary Fleet. They were urged in an astropathic message by the Imperial Fists Legion's Primarch Rogal Dorn to return to Terra to help defend the homeworld of humanity from the Traitors as soon as possible. Jaghatai was next contacted by the Space Wolves' Leman Russ who had just returned from the Burning of Prospero and the assault against the Space Wolves old rivals the Thousand Sons Legion and offered to join his Space Wolves with the White Scars so that they could face the Forces of Chaos in a united front. But Horus had anticipated this move by the two close brother Primarchs and the Warmaster deployed the Alpha Legion to launch a massive assault on Russ' outnumbered Space Wolves. The Alpha Legion and its twin Primarchs, Alpharius Omegon, had long harboured deep grudges against the Space Wolves and Russ in particular for his criticism of their reliance upon trickery, manipulation and subterfuge to win battles rather than engaging in what the Space Wolves Primarch saw as honourable, open combat. The Alpha Legion relished the chance to prove their superiority against the arrogant Wolves of Fenris by delaying them long enough to keep them from contributing to the defence of Terra. Although he despised leaving the Space Wolves to face the Alpha Legion Traitor Marines on their own, Jaghatai Khan felt it was more important to honour Dorn's urgent request to retreat to Terra immediately rather than first engaging in a costly (and diversionary) battle against the Alpha Legion. It is known that much of the White Scars Legion, including its Primarch, was present to defend the siege of the Imperial Palace during the climatic Battle of Terra alongside the Blood Angels and Imperial Fists Legions. It was said that Jaghatai and his men fought many of the Chaos Space Marines that tried to retreat to Terra's spaceports and flee, following the death of the Warmaster Horus at the hands of the Emperor aboard his Battle Barge Vengeful Spirit in orbit of Mankind's homeworld. The White Scars launched several highly-successful hit-and-run assaults against the Traitor forces and together with remnants of the Imperial Army's 1st Terran Tank Division and several infantry regiments they successfully harassed the enemy supply lines as the Chaotic armies fled to the Lions Gate Spaceport to get off-world and flee Imperial vengeance. The Disappearance of Jaghatai Khan Seven years after the end of the Horus Heresy during the period called the Reformation when the Imperium was largely guided by the Ultramarines Primarch Roboute Guilliman, the White Scars adopted Guilliman's Codex Astartes and the Legion allowed itself to be grudgingly divided into several different Successor Chapters. In order to contain the outlaws, renegades and aliens that dwelled within the Maelstrom and had taken advantage of the disruptions caused by the Heresy to run amok in the Ultima Segmentum, Roboute Guilliman ordered the surrounding star systems to be reinforced. The White Scars were tasked with the main responsibility of securing the area from their homeworld. According to the writings of the Great Khan of Quan Zhou, the White Scars learned upon their return to Mundus Planus following the end of the Heresy that their homeworld and its people had been the target of numerous raids by the Dark Eldar to seize thousands of Planans as slaves. Jaghatai swore many oaths against the Dark Eldar because of this crime and fought them in many battles until peace had largely been restored among the Imperial worlds that were adjacent to the Maelstrom. Jaghatai fought alongside his sons of the White Scars for another 70 standard years following the end of the Horus Heresy, eventually disappearing into a region of space known as the Maelstrom, a large Warp rift in the Ultima Segmentum that is a somewhat smaller counterpart of the Eye of Terror. Jaghatai is believed to have been in pursuit of the Dark Eldar who had savaged Mundus Planus following the Battle of Corusil V with his 1st Brotherhood when he went through a Warp Gate into the Dark Eldar portion of the Webway, ultimately vanishing forever. Jaghatai had been in pursuit of a mighty Dark Eldar lord, likely the Archon of the Kabal that had attacked Corusil V and perhaps even Mundus Planus itself. Jaghatai Khan has not been seen since, though the White Scars believe he is still alive somewhere within the Webway and will one day return to the Chapter in a time of great need. As a result of their Primarch's disappearance, the White Scars hold a particularly savage grudge against the Dark Eldar and will gladly seek out any opportunity to make war upon those savage and terrifying xenos. Notable Campaigns *'X173 Plural Xenocide (Unknown Date.M30)' - This was an Imperial Compliance campaign of the Great Crusade that was carried out jointly between the White Scars Legion and the 40th Expeditionary Fleet's Imperial Army component made up of the genetically-enhanced solderies of the G9K Divion Kill upon the world designated X173 Plural. This campaign against unknown xenos was fought over a period of six months, in which the troops of the G9K came to admire the focus, dedication and mercilessness of the White Scars. *'Tyrade System Compliance (Unknown Date.M31)' - A White Scars detachment served alongside the Luna Wolves Legion during the Imperial Compliance action in the Tyrade System. This action occurred seven years before the Battle of Istvaan III and the start of the Horus Heresy. *'Battle of Terra' (Unknown Date.M31) - The White Scars were one of only three Loyalist Space Marine Legions present at the Battle of Terra during the defence of the Emperor’s Imperial Palace, alongside the Blood Angels and the Imperial Fists. Before the final defence of the Imperial Palace began, the White Scars launched a counterattack to break through the encircling siege of the Traitor Legions of Horus. As part of this counteroffensive, the White Scars undertook a daring lightning raid to seize the Lionsgate Spaceport from the enemy's hands. This enabled the Loyalists defending the Palace to receive fresh troops and supplies from orbit and boosted the morale of the Palace's defenders. A similar Loyalist assault on the second major starport near the Palace failed, largely due to the lack of the White Scars' expertise in mobile warfare. However, the White Scars did not participate in the Emperor of Mankind's final teleport assault upon Horus’ flagship, the Battle Barge ''Vengeful Spirit''. *'9th Black Crusade (537.M38)' - The 9th Black Crusade was a Black Crusade led by the infamous Chaos Champion Abaddon the Despoiler and his Black Legion, launched out of the Eye of Terror in 537.M38. During this time, the Lamenters Space Marine Chapter was recalled along with a number of other Crusading Chapters by the High Lords of Terra to help deal with the rising threat of incursions from the Eye of Terror. But the Lamenters' fell reputation for suffering bitter reversals and dark turns of fate worked against them during the Chaos attack on the Hive World of Corillia during this campaign. The superstition-bound Mortifactors Chapter refused to fight alongside the Lamenters, abandoning the planet rather than serve beside them. Unwilling to desert the Hive World's population, the Lamenters held out alone against the Black Legion's onslaught for six standard weeks, suffering horrendous losses until the Ultramarines and White Scars led a battle group that broke though the Chaos warfleet to relieve Corillia. Reduced to barely 200 surviving Battle-Brothers by their sacrifice, the Lamenters were deemed lost when their fleet disappeared in a Warp Storm soon afterwards, only to reappear more than a standard century later on the edge of the Segmentum Solar, having slowly battled their way back from the outer void. *'Sabbat Worlds Crusades' (35th Millennium) and (754-775.M41) - The White Scars fought in both Imperial Crusades unleashed in the Sabbat Worlds Sector, first at the side of Saint Sabbat who led the Crusade that brought the sector into the Imperium of Man in the 35th Millennium, and later with the forces of the Imperial Warmasters Slaydo and Macaroth to retake the Sabbat Worlds from control by the Forces of Chaos. The White Scars also fought alongside four fellow Astartes Chapters that included the: Iron Snakes, the Raven Guard, and the Silver Guard. The White Scars were present on many of the battlefields of both Sabbat Worlds Crusades. During the first Crusade when they fought alongside Saint Sabbat, an honour guard of 8 White Scars Space Marines were the ones who carried Saint Sabbat’s fallen body back to her homeworld and her final resting place. The Shrine of Saint Sabbat contains 8 ritual niches each filled with a life sized holographic projection of a White Scars Astartes in memory of the Chapter's service. Around the year 600.M41, the Sabbat Worlds Sector began to suffer once more from such large, sustained incursions of Chaotic forces that by the year 740.M41 the situation had become untenable,with the entire sector essentially having been lost to Imperial rule. The Imperium could not suffer the existence of such a large expanse of openly Chaotic space existing within its territory, acting as a staging ground from which to spread Chaotic corruption to the surrounding Imperial sectors. As such, the Administratum ordered the start of the second Sabbat Worlds Crusade to retake the sector for the Emperor. Overall operational command was given to Warmaster Slaydo who was charged with the liberation of the Sabbat Worlds. Slaydo developed an intense passion for the cause of Saint Sabbat, the original liberator of the Sabbat Worlds. He personally believed it to be a crime against the Imperium that her hard-won territories could be so callously discarded and left in the blasphemous hands of the servants of the Ruinous Powers. *'Lycanthos Drift Campaign (780.M41)' - In the aftermath of the long-running and infamous Fourth Quadrant Rebellion, the White Scars answered a general call to arms among the Astartes of the region and despatched a powerful force in 780.M41, to undertake the Lycanthos Drift Campaign against one of the last major stronghold systems of the revolt located to the galactic south of the Maelstrom Zone. Astral Claws Chapter Master Lufgt Huron was elected battle leader of a number of Astartes contingents by common consent, comprising companies from the Astral Claws, Fire Hawks, Celestian Guard and White Scars Chapters, backed by the Death Korps of Krieg and Cal-Sec Imperial Guard regiments and the Titans of Legio Venator. The Fire Hawks' Chapter Master Stibor Lazaerek was noticeably bitter that he was not given command of the campaign, and is known to have born a grudge against the Astral Claws from this time forward. Under Huron's inspired command, the taskforce ruthlessly purged the heavily fortified star system of Traitor and Chaos forces in under a year, cementing his reputation as a masterful strategist amongst Space Marine commanders. *'Escape from Cano'var (813.M41)' - Kor'sarro Khan led a demi-company of White Scars to the world of Cano'var, pursuing a now-obsolete punitive mission against the previous inhabitants. Unbeknownst to Khan, the Necron Lord Nemesor Zahndrekh had instructed the Necron armies of Gidrim to invade the Tau world, routing the planetary defenders after two weeks of campaigning. When the White Scars arrived, they were immediately besieged by an overwhelming volley of deadly Gauss Weapons which destroyed the White Scars' Thunderhawk gunships moments after they landed, leaving Khan and his Battle-Brothers stranded to fight a bold, but ultimately doomed, series of hit-and-run battles. Almost all of the White Scars were slain on the Uzem Plateau, but Zahndrekh commanded that Kor'sarro Khan be spared and imprisoned. Kept captive beneath the surface of Cano'var, Zahndrekh treated the warrior with honour, though few other Necron Lords even acknowledged the human's presence. Khan soon learned that he was one of a dozen prisoners from several different species kept on the world and with a desire for freedom he and the other captives conspired to escape. As the Necrons were slow to react, the breakout went well at first, until Vargard Obyron took command of the Necron forces and things began to go badly for the escapees. Several of the fugitives were slain by Obyron, leaving only Kor'sarro and an Eldar Ranger by the name of Illic Nightspear to fight on. The Eldar received a blow during the ensuing battle that left him reeling, and soon the battle devolved into a bloody melee atop bleeding bodies and broken machines. Guided by desperate fury, Khan's sword proved quick, but Obyron's body was able to self-repair any damage he received within moments. Khan tired, little by little, until finally one of Obyron's blows was too swift for Khan to evade. Obyron's warscythes sliced through the Space Marine's armour and bit deep into his flesh, but before the Vargard could finish his foe, Zahndrekh intervened and ordered his minion to spare the human. Zahndrekh had been secretly observing the fight between the two adversaries from afar and, impressed by Khan's skill and bravery, ordered Obyron to stand aside and allow the White Scar to leave. Khan dragged the crippled Ranger Nightspear behind him and finally escaped to the surface where he found a still-functioning Tau spacecraft and left Cano'var far behind. Khan and Nightspear parted ways shortly after and Khan returned to Chogoris. After his return, Nemesor Zahndrekh and Vargard Obyron were added to the Scrolls of Vengeance, their names to be put forward as possible quarry for the next Great Hunt. *'Hunt for Voldorius (''Ca. 855.M41-865.M41)' - The Hunt for Voldorius was the search by Kor'sarro Khan, Captain of the 3rd Brotherhood of the White Scars Chapter of Space Marines, for the Daemon Prince Kernax Voldorius, the warleader of a particularly insidious Alpha Legion Chaos Space Marines warband. In 865.M41 Kor'sarro Khan drove Voldorius from his foremost stronghold on the hive world of Modanna to the world of Quintus, where Kor'sarro and the 3rd Brotherhood of the White Scars formed an alliance with Captain Kayvaan Shrike of the Raven Guard Chapter's 3rd Company, who also sought to dislodge the Alpha Legion's grip on that benighted planet. Together, the two Astartes officers and their companies ultimately ran the Daemon Prince to ground and slew him once and for all. Kor'sarro Khan took Voldorius' head back to the White Scars homeworld of Chogoris (officially known to the Administratum as Mundus Planus) where it was set on a pike on the road to the White Scars' fortress-monastery, so that all might know that no foe of the Chapter ever truly escapes the Emperor's justice. *'Third War for Armageddon''' (998.M41) - During the Third War for Armageddon against the largest Ork WAAAGH! seen since the Great Crusade, the White Scars deployed several Brotherhoods in the region of the Hive World of Armageddon known as the Deadlands, an area of freezing arctic wastes. In the Deadlands, the White Scars proved highly capable of responding to and blunting the attacks of the Ork Speed Freeks. *'13th Black Crusade' (999.M41) - During the 13th Black Crusade the first of the White Scars Brotherhoods to reach the Cadian Gate was the Brotherhood of Khajog Khan, a hero of Armageddon and many other campaigns. Khajog set about launching a series of devastatingly successful hit-and-run attacks across the bleak moors of Cadia. The attacks were so successful that the White Scars soon became a significant threat to Abaddon the Despoiler’s plans and the sieges of Kasr Myrak, Soliq and Rantik were lifted as the Chaotic forces of the Great Despoiler redeployed to hunt down the elusive White Scars. Khajog’s Brotherhood proved literally too effective, as their actions earned the direct attention of Abaddon, who ordered the Brotherhood immediately hunted down and exterminated by a full force deployment of the Chaos Space Marines under his command. Dispatching no less than the elite 1st Company of the Black Legion along with massive hordes of Chaos Cultists and slaves, Abaddon began the hunt through the bleak moors. Unknown to Khajog, Abaddon’s chief Chaos Sorcerer Zaraphiston located the White Scars through his divinations, and Khajog’s forces were ambushed as they attempted to assault a slave train west of Lake Terror. The first 4 White Scars Bike Squads that hit the slave train found themselves charging directly into the guns of Abaddon’s Chosen. Realising that they were beaten, the White Scars continued their charge nonetheless, selling their lives as dearly as possible to give their brethren in the rest of the White Scars force time to break away. Reluctantly, Khajog retreated with the rest of his Brotherhood to regroup, swearing to return and wreak vengeance on Abaddon’s forces. However, that was not to be. Khajog did not get an opportunity to return in the manner of his choosing, for every exit was blocked by the uncountable hordes of the Chaotic forces. Instead of trying to retreat further, Khajog determined to make his last stand at the base of a Cadian Pylon on the shores of the Caducades Sea. The White Scars crashed into the innumerable ranks of the Traitor forces, dragged from their Assault Bikes one by one until at last only Khajog remained. Khajog Khan was the last of the White Scars to fall that day, finally dragged down by the sheer weight of numbers arrayed against him. The Stormseers of the Chapter say that to this day, Khajog’s spirit still roams the bleak moors of Cadia, unwilling to return until vengeance is meted out to those who slew him. Chapter Organisation The predominant unit of social organisation among the nomadic people of the steppes of Mundus Planus is the tribe, a fact reflected in the organisation of the White Scars Chapter. Once a young warrior is selected from the feuding tribes of the steppes, loyalty to his tribe is replaced by loyalty to the Chapter and the Emperor of Mankind. As their Primarch did during his campaign to unite the steppes, recruits from different tribes are mixed together in the White Scars' squads. Each squad of White Scars Astartes becomes part of a Brotherhood, a type of unit that is roughly equivalent to a standard, 100-Astartes Space Marines company. Each Brotherhood is led by an officer known as a Khan, who is essentially the White Scars' version of a standard Space Marine company captain The Chapter maintains a different order of battle than most ''Codex Astartes''-compliant Chapters, due to the style of warfare favoured by the Chapter which deemphasizes the use of heavy armour in favour of light, fast-moving mechanised and airborne infantry formations. The White Scars have a propensity to maintain a disproportionate number of Bike Squads and Land Speeder squadrons. This lightning-attack fighting style means the White Scars do not make use of as many heavy weapons as other Chapters. For instance, the White Scars possess no Devastator Squads. Due to their reliance on fast-moving fire support, most of the tanks used by the Chapter have had their armour stripped down so that they are able to keep up with the majority of the fast-moving White Scars forces. Dreadnoughts are also not employed by the White Scars, as the cold, metal sarcophagi of these mighty cyborgs evokes a horror of eternal confinement and induces a feeling of extreme claustrophobia that is a result of the White Scars' cultural foundation as nomads who wander the open plains of Mundus Planus' steppelands. Specialist Ranks ]] seconded to the Deathwatch]] *'Great Khan' - The Great Khan is the title given to the Chapter Master of the White Scars. He is chosen from among the Khans of the Chapter's Brotherhoods by a secret process of physical, mental and spiritual trials overseen by the Chapter's Storm Seers. *'Khan' - A Khan is the officer who commands a White Scars Brotherhood, essentially the Chapter's version of a standard Space Marines company captain. Like the Great Khan, the Chapter's Khans are chosen by its Storm Seers, who oversee a series of physical, mental and spiritual trials when a vacancy opens to determine which of the White Scars Battle-Brothers is worthy of being elevated to command the fellows of his Brotherhood. *'Master of the Hunt' - The Master of the Hunt is an honourific title unique to the White Scars Chapter. The current Master of the Hunt is Kor'sarro Khan, Captain of the White Scars' 3rd Company and the 51st individual to hold the title. The Master of the Hunt is charged with tracking down those rare enemies of the Chapter who have managed to evade destruction at the hands of the White Scars. No enemy is allowed to escape and live and so the Master of the Hunt is charged with hunting those foes and bringing their heads back to the White Scars lands on their homeworld of Chogoris. The High Chaplain then brands the eyes from the head and it is masked in silver and stuck on a spear along the road to the White Scars' fortress-monastery. The White Scars are patient and while some enemies may elude death for centuries they will all eventually be hunted down and their heads brought back to Chogoris. Kor'sarro Khan has already proven himself quite proficient and has tracked down such foes as the Daemon Prince Kernax Voldorius and the Eldar pirate lord Varaliel. The Master of the Hunt incorporates ancient but potent symbols of his office; Moondrakkan and Moonfang. Moondrakkan is a master-crafted Assault Bike originally commissioned by the 4th Master of the Hunt, and has been lovingly maintained down through the centuries. The other item granted to the Master of the Hunt by the Chapter is the ancient Power Sword called Moonfang. This relic of the White Scars Chapter is currently wielded by Kor'sarro Khan and has slayed the most terrible of foes no matter how mighty they may be. *'Stormseers' - The Space Marine Librarians are among the most potent of Mankind's psykers. The Stormseers of the White Scars performs these same functions as the Chapter's cadre of psyker-warriors, though the Stormseers emerge from the deeply-ingrained mystical traditions of the tribal shamans and holy men who rode the plains of Chogoris with their Primarch Jaghatai Khan before the coming of the Emperor to Mundus Planus. Since the time before their Chapter's inception, when they were the shamans who first named Jaghatai Khan the Great Khan of the nomadic tribes, the Storm Seers have been called upon to continue to induct Neophytes and newly elevated Khans of their Chapter. Every 10 summers, the Storm Seers venture down into the steppes to observe the tribes and their battles, picking only the best and bravest warriors and returning them to Quan Zhou to become Space Marines. When a Great Khan is lost on the field of battle, it is the Storm Seers who are called upon to decide who his successor will be to lead the Chapter. The Storm Seers will then retreat to the caves of the steep peaks of the Khum Katra Mountains of Mundus Planus. There, Brotherhood Khans present themselves to be tested and scrutinized by the Storm Seers. The process and trials used by the Storm Seers to test and approve who the next Great Khan will be is unknown. Few candidates survive the arduous process, and those that do to become the next Great Khan will never speak of the trials they endured. The other responsibilities of the Storm Seer include teaching Aspirants the core beliefs of their Chapter. They firmly believe it is the manifest duty of the White Scars to destroy the enemies of the Imperium, awaiting the day that that Emperor will rise again, signaling the return of their lost Primarch and the beginning of the next Great Crusade to unify all of humanity. The Storm Seers believe that their powers are connected to the animistic spirits of the land and the air, and that as long as these natural forces fight alongside them, the White Scars will always be victorious. These elemental, animistic beliefs and the highly stylized Force Staff used by Storm Seers tie these warrior-mystics to their shamanistic past on the steppes of Mundus Planus. Chapter Combat Doctrine Squadron]] ]] employs the lightning-attack]] The method of war taught to the steppe tribes of Chogoris by Jaghatai Khan has served the White Scars well in the millennia that followed. Their modus operandi consists of lightning-fast hit-and-run attacks conducted by highly mobile forces, destroying the enemy piece by piece and never allowing the enemy to force a decisive or static engagement. The White Scars make heavy use of Assault Bikes and Attack Bikes, Land Speeders, and Jump Pack-equipped Assault Marine Squads to harass the enemy, and then hit them with a full assault when they are at their weakest and most frazzled. Although preferring to keep the foe at arms-length, the White Scars are fully capable of engaging in bloody assaults, and are rightly feared by the enemies of the Imperium. Being a highly mobile Astartes force, the White Scars have a higher proportion of Bike Squads and Land Speeder squadrons than almost all other Chapters. This means that every White Scars Astartes will not take to battle on foot and must have some mechanized deployment to the battlefield even if they eventually dismount to fight as infantry. As such, every White Scars Space Marine makes use of a Jump Pack (for White Scars Assault Marines), Assault Bike, Rhino, Razorback, Land Raider, Land Speeder, Thunderhawk Gunship, or Drop Pods. The Chapter's combat doctrine is to deliver their forces to the battlefield in a single swift blow; thus, when Drop Pods are used, the entire force of the Chapter committed to the assault deploys in them in order to avoid the possibility of parts of the force arriving in reserve. Also, the majority of heavy weapons normally used by Space Marine forces such as the Heavy Bolter, Missile Launcher, Plasma Gun or Heavy Flamer are frowned upon by the Chapter, and any tank that cannot keep up with the rest of the army is avoided in the order of battle. For instance, the White Scars have no Devastator Squads, and their few Predator tanks may not carry sponson weapons. The White Scars also do not field any Dreadnoughts, not only because of the slowness of those cyborgs, but also because every White Scars Astartes does not want to be crippled to the point that they must be entombed in a Dreadnought's cybernetic sarcophagus. Far better to die and allow their spirits to pass into the afterlife where they may roam free. Overall, the White Scars are considered a powerful and effective Chapter when undertaking direct, rapid assaults or carrying out surgical strikes intended to achieve specific operational objectives. However, their lack of units with a great deal of staying power such as heavy weapons-equipped Tactical Marines, Devastator Marines, Dreadnoughts or the heavier Astartes main battle tanks means that their detachments are more fragile if not used at a tactically appropriate moment or if forced to face prolonged, static combat, particularly against well-defended enemy strongholds. The White Scars are not a Chapter that would fare well undertaking sieges, for example. Chapter Homeworld Mundus Planus, better known to its people as Chogoris, is a fertile Feudal World of the Imperium that still exists in a semi-feudal state. When Jaghatai Khan departed on the Great Crusade, the unified empire he had carved from the nomadic peoples of his world dissolved back into the feuding tribes of horsemen that had existed before his arrival. This was believed by some in the White Scars Legion to be the intention of the Primarch, as the restoration of conflict between the tribes ensured that his Legion would have a supply of highly-skilled Neophytes drawn from the warring tribes in the future. The present-day White Scars Chapter is based in the Palace of Quan Zhou, which was built by Jaghatai Khan at the end of his quest to unify all the peoples of Chogoris under his rule and is located at the peak of the highest of the great Khum Katra Mountains on the planet. The Palace of Quan Zhou now serves as the Chapter's fortress-monastery. The Storm Seers of the White Scars venture down into the steppes every ten local years, observing the tribes at combat, and take the best of the young warriors to become Space Marine Aspirants. Chapter Beliefs The White Scars share the beliefs of their Primarch, venerating the Emperor as the Ultimate Uniter of Mankind, but not as a God and so they do not hold the Imperial Creed as their faith and have little regard for the Ecclesiarchy. It is the White Scars' belief that it is their duty to destroy the enemies of the Emperor in preparation for the day when he will rise from the Golden Throne to begin a new Great Crusade to unify the galaxy. On that day, Jaghatai Khan will return from the void to lead the Chapter once more. To the White Scars, the lightning bolt that serves as their Chapter badge is a potent and important symbol, representing both their style of warfare and echoing the warrior Honour Scars that they bear on their faces. It also represents the powers of the Storm Seers. The Chapter believes that as long as the elemental, animistic powers of air and land heed the call of the Storm Seers the White Scars will never falter on the field of battle. All White Scars bear the long, ritual facial scar that is called an Honour Scar and is the mark they receive when they are fully accepted into the Chapter as Neophytes. As noted above, the White Scars refuse to deploy Dreadnoughts within their ranks as the thought of being entombed within the mighty cybernetic construction is anathema to the White Scars' beliefs that when a warrior dies, his soul should be free to travel to the afterlife and not be confined where it cannot freely roam the plains of the netherworld. Scarification Practises Facial markings are widespread among the tribal/plains groups of Mundus Planus, less so amongst settled populations (Khilan, Huanjan ect). The Taliskar nation is given to extensive modifications, reflective of warrior prowess, achievement, ritual events, ect. Taliskar pattern now endemic and much emulated by other nations (esp. Haelun, Szechjiak, High-Zuar, ect) since the conquests of Jaghatai. Typical patterns reminiscent of hunting fauna, in particular native apex raptors (berkul). Permanent resin-based dyes added to prominent figures, producing hybrid scars tattoo forms. Vivid results have been noted, yet their chemical composition is not yet fully understood. Distinctive local variation of left cheek zig-zag pattern has also been noted. This pattern of scars are made with ritual daggers under the supervision of the tribal zadyin arga (translated in Low Gothic, "seer of storms"). Scars run from under the left eye socket to chin. Ash is then used to raise tissue and whiten residual ridge (hence, "white scar"). Shortly after being reunited with their Primarch, Terran members of the V Legion quickly adopted the customs of the Mundus Planus natives whose results were less pronounced. These techniques were most efficacious on the young, prior to Legiones Astartes Progenoid Glands and dermatological resistance healing. Notable White Scars *'Jaghatai Khan' - Primarch of the White Scars. Jaghatai fought alongside his sons of the White Scars for another 70 standard years following the end of the Horus Heresy, eventually disappearing into a region of space known as the Maelstrom, a large Warp rift in the Ultima Segmentum that is a somewhat smaller counterpart of the Eye of Terror. Jaghatai is believed to have been in pursuit of the Dark Eldar who had savaged Mundus Planus following the Battle of Corusil V with his 1st Brotherhood when he went through a Warp Gate into the Dark Eldar portion of the Webway, ultimately vanishing forever. Jaghatai had been in pursuit of a mighty Dark Eldar lord, likely the Archon of the Kabal that had attacked Corusil V and perhaps even Mundus Planus itself. Jaghatai Khan has not been seen since, though the White Scars believe he is still alive somewhere within the Webway and will one day return to the Chapter in a time of great need. As a result of their Primarch's disappearance, the White Scars hold a particularly savage grudge against the Dark Eldar and will gladly seek out any opportunity to make war upon those savage and terrifying xenos. *'Jubal (Great Khan)' - Jubal Khan is the current Great Khan of the White Scars Chapter following the disappearance of Kyublai in 943.M41. *'Kyublai (Great Khan)' - Great Khan Kyublai, Jubal's predecessor, vanished while fighting against the Eldar xenos in 943.M41. *'Drago Khan' - Drago Khan is a captain of the White Scars, though his Brotherhood command is unknown. *'Jurga Khan' - Khan of the Brotherhood that participated in the liberation of the world of Tephra VII. *'Khajog Khan' - Khan of the Brotherhood dispatched to Cadia during the 13th Black Crusade. Khajog proved such a pesky and dangerous opponent that Abaddon the Despoiler was forced to dispatch a significant number of his best troops to deal with the White Scars and though Khajog and his men were eventually cornered and slaughtered, they undoubtedly bought the Cadians time and kept the forces of the Black Legion quite busy hunting them down before they were finally defeated. Nevertheless the Storm Seers say that Khajog's spirit still wanders the wastes of Cadia, unable to join the Emperor's side in the afterlife until his death is avenged. *'Kor'sarro Khan' - Khan of the 3rd Brotherhood and the current Master of the Hunt for the Chapter. Kor'sarro's first hunt was completed on the 3rd moon of the gas giant Mai IX. The Khan of the 3rd Brotherhood has faced many daunting foes and great challenges including facing an Alpha Level psyker on Delta Arbuthnot where the the entire planet's population of Ratling agri-serfs was mind-controlled and forced to raise arms against the Imperial landowners, using shovels against guards with autoguns. Another such battle was for the 3rd Moon of Woebetide where, as a Scout Marine many decades previously, Kor'sarro fought the Warp entities called Enslavers. Ten thousand mind-controlled Cadians were psychically forced to march across a minefield 100 kilometres wide under fire from the White Scars, Red Hunters and Celestial Lions Chapters. Kor'Sarro Khan was responsible for successfully bringing the Hunt for Voldorius to its conclusion. *'Jamuka Khan' - Jamuka Khan was the predecessor and mentor of Kor'sarro Khan as the Khan of the 3rd Brotherhood and the skull of a vicious tusk drake that currently adorns the marble throne of Kor'sarro Khan was slain by his mentor Jamuka. *'Subodai Khan' - Killed during the battle to retake Rynn's World from the Orks of WAAAGH! Snagrod. *'Suboden Khan' - The Khan of the Tulwar Brotherhood who fought to defend the water purification at St. Capilene and the Phaedra River. *'Jubal Khan' - Captain of the 1st Company of the 1st Chapter of the White Scars Legion during the Horus Heresy. *'Shang Khan' - Khan of the White Scars 7th Chapter during the latter days of the Great Crusade. Shang Khan transferred stewardship of Sarosh to the Dark Angels Legion shortly before the onset of the Horus Heresy. *'Hibou Khan' - Hibou Khan was a member of a White Scars Kill-team sent to kill high-ranking members of the Sons of Horus on the planet Dwell during the Horus Heresy. *'Qan'karro ' - A Storm Seer and the senior psychic adept attached to Kor'sarro Khan's task force during the Hunt for Voldorius, Qan'karro is a renowned Veteran of the Chapter as well as a close adviser to the Master of the Hunt. *'Xia'ghan ' - Senior Chaplain attached to the 3rd Brotherhood during the Hunt for Voldorius. *'Subedei - 'Chaplain Subedei fought in the Tempestora Warzone during the Third War for Armageddon. *'Goju '- Goju is a Techmarine attached to the Brotherhood of Jurga Khan. *'Sarik' - Sarik is a Veteran Sergeant and the Force Commander of the White Scars detachment that served in the Damocles Gulf Crusade and the second-in-command of that Crusade's Astartes forces. *'Sar Af' - White Scars Battle-Brother attached to the Imperial Guard regiment known as the Tanith First and Only during the Sabbat Worlds Crusade, along with two other Astartes from the Iron Snakes and Silver Guard, during the Imperial raid on Salvation's Reach. *'Balat' - Balat is a venerable Scout Sergeant of the White Scars with over four centuries of service to the Chapter and the commander of a Scout Biker Squadron on Tephra VII. *'Ultas Kholka' - A highly skilled veteran warrior, Scout Sergeant Kholka was one of the Chapter's best. A veteran of the Celebrated '422' Patrol, Kholka even survived stalking the extremely deadly Tyranid Lictors over the cobalt reefs of Ayria-12-Tsunami and survived extended operations on the Death World of Canak. Brother Kholka sacrificed himself to give Kor'sarro Khan the opening to face and defeat the dreaded Daemon Prince Voldorius, using a Flamer to destroy the last of the Blood Tide nanytes, engulfing himself in the process. Chapter Relics *'Chieftain Trophy Rack' - Like the great khans of Chogoris of old, the White Scars of the Achilus Crusade took to wearing trophy racks to display their triumphs and prowess in battle. Like the more common back banners used by Astartes commanders, a trophy rack identifies a Battle-Brother as a leader and Captain of the Chapter. *'Dueling Tulwar' - Reputed to have its origins from the mountain tribes of Chogoris, the Dueling Tulwar is a White Scars ritual weapon. Its short, curved blade makes it ideal for quick, short cuts, allowing the wielder greater speed in combat, switching between defensive and offensive stances with a flick of his wrist. *''Moondrakkan'' - The Assault Bike Moondrakkan was originally commissioned for the Chapter's 4th Master of the Hunt. This ancient Astartes bike is a relic of the White Scars Chapter and has served as a versatile mechanical steed for numerous Masters of the Hunt over many millennia. Fitted with powerful engines, bulletproof tires and a formidable armament, Moondrakkan has been lovingly maintained by the Chapter's Techmarines and has served the Masters of the Hunt well in their never-ending quests to chase down their quarry in the midst of a hunt. *''Moonfang'' - This is an ancient Power Sword and revered relic of the White Scars Chapter. This formidable blade has spilled much blood and the ichor of numerous Apostates, Heretics and xenos since its forging. Currently, Kor'sarro Khan wields Moonfang. ]] *'Power Lance' - A signature weapon of the White Scars, the Power Lance mounts a Power Blade on the end of a long shaft. This makes the weapon ideal for charging from the back of vehicles or striking at foes while beyond the reach of their weapons. *''Totem of Subetai'' - The Stormseers are the Librarians of the White Scars -- powerful figures within the Chapter who advise its commanders and keep its lore. Across the Jericho Reach, many Stormseers are held in veneration for their heroic acts and the vaults of Watch Fortress Erioch are filled with artefacts from countless Stormseers that have served the Deathwatch in aeons past. One such artefact is the Totem of Subetai -- a long staff adorned with a beast skull and a knot of course hair. No records still remain of Subetai or his accomplishments, but his staff has served other Stormseers through the millennia. The staff helps Stormseers in focusing their powers, channelling ancient spirits and casting their auguries for the great Khans. Chapter Appearance Chapter Colours The White Scars' Power Armour is predominantly white, with red trim. This has only varied slightly since the Pre-Heresy days of the Legion. Apothecaries of the White Scars have their entire armour painted red save for the backpack, right shoulder and the helmet which are all white and have a red vertical stripe painted down the centre of the helmet. Chapter Badge The White Scars' Chapter badge is a stylized red thunderbolt with a horizontal yellow bar behind it, exemplifying their style of combat and echoing the facial Honour Scars all members of this Chapter bear. Members of the White Scars' Scout Marines Brotherhood are permitted to wear the thunderbolt on their shoulder plates, but an obscure piece of Chapter law states they may not have the horizontal bar, an honour only given to full Initiates. Chapter Fleet The White Scars are known to have possessed the following vessels within their Legion fleet during the great Crusade and the Horus Heresy and as part of their Chapter fleet after the Second Founding: *''Constantius'' (Battle Barge) '''- Flagship of the White Scars Chapter fleet. *Silent Horseman' '(Battle Barge)' - Renamed from the ''Plainsmaster to honour the stealth running techniques developed by the Chapter during the Third War for Armageddon. *''Lord of Heavens'' (Strike Cruiser) - Warship of Kor'sarro Khan's 3rd Brotherhood during the Hunt for Voldorius. *''Warrior of the Plains'' (Strike Cruiser) - Strike Cruiser of Jurga Khan's Brotherhood. *''Nomad'' (Frigate) - A small ship but a crafty and daring one, Sergeant Sarik commanded the Nomad with great success during the Damocles Gulf Crusade. *''Swift Horseman'' (Strike Cruiser) - Originally part of the White Scars Legion's 4th Expeditionary Fleet during the Great Crusade, was later replaced by a Dark Angels fleet as the Swift Horseman was needed elsewhere. Inspiration The White Scars' tactics and history are inspired by the real-life military tactics used by the Mongols during the creation of their continent-spanning medieval empire in the 13th Century AD and by the organisation and order of battle used by the Mongol army. Jaghatai Khan is inspired by the actual historical character of Genghis Khan (Temüjin) and some Turkic-Hunnic legends. The name Jaghatai means "white one" and "energetic one" in Mongolian and Turkish, and this name is still popular in Turkic-speaking countries in Central Asia. Rather than the Western portrayal of the Mongol Great Khan as a bloodthirsty conqueror, Jaghatai is more in line with how Genghis is still seen in his homeland of Mongolia—a benevolent leader and masterful tactician. Sources *''Codex: Armageddon'' (3rd Edition), p. 32 *''Codex: Necrons'' (5th Edition), p. 25 *''Codex: Chaos Space Marines'' (3rd Edition, 2nd Codex), p. 7 *''Codex: Space Marines'' (5th Edition), pp. 8, 28, 30, 42-43, 47, 49, 94 *''Codex: Space Marines'' (4th Edition) *''Codex: Space Marines'' (3rd Edition) * Epic Armageddon Resources, "Epic White Scars", Games Workshop Website *''Flames of Damnation'' (Comic Anthology), "The Pilgrim" by James Peaty & artwork by Shaun Thomas *''Fulgrim'' (Novel) by Graham McNeill *''Horus Heresy Collected Visions'' (Artbook Series), pp. 344-345 *''Hunt for Voldorius'' (Novel) by Andy Hoare *''Imperial Armour Volume Two - Forces of the Inquisition & the Space Marines'' *''Imperial Armour Volume Nine - The Badab War - Part One'', pp. 17, 108 *''Imperial Armour Volume Ten - The Badab War - Part Two'', p. 64 *''Index Astartes'' I, "Lightning Attack - The White Scars Space Marines Chapter," pp. 40-47 *''Let the Galaxy Burn'' (Compilation), "Into the Maelstrom" by Chris Pramas *''Rogue Trader Warhammer 40,000 Rulebook'' (1st Edition),'' pp. 156, 168 *''The Sabbat Worlds Crusade (Background Book) *''Warhammer 40,000 Compendium'' (1st Edition), pp. 31, 79 *''White Dwarf'' 312 (US), "Silent Menace: Space Marine Scouts" *''White Dwarf'' 311 (US), "Index Astartes: Silent Menace" & "Behind Enemy Lines", pp. 84-88 *''White Dwarf'' 300 (US), "Legends of the Space Marines", p. 118 *''White Dwarf'' 286 (US), "The Eye of the Storm: Space Marine Chapters fighting in the Eye of Terror" *''White Dwarf'' 283 (US), "Eye of Terror Campaign" *''White Dwarf'' 257 (UK), "Index Astartes I: Index Astartes - Lightning Attack - The White Scars Space Marine Chapter" *''White Dwarf'' 256 (US), "Index Astartes I: Index Astartes - Lightning Attack - The White Scars Space Marine Chapter" *''White Dwarf'' 251 (US), "The Final Days of Armageddon", pp. 6-27 *''White Dwarf'' 249 (US), "Emperor's Shield: Space Marine Chapters of the Armageddon War" *''White Dwarf'' 248 (US), "The Third War for Armageddon" *''White Dwarf'' 93 (UK), "Warhammer 40,000: Rogue Trader Edition Preview", pp. 33-44 *''Age of Darkness'' (Anthology) edited by Christian Dunn, "Little Horus" by Dan Abnett *''Brotherhood of the Storm'' (Audio Drama) by Chris Wraight *''Descent of Angels'' (Novel) by Mitchel Scanlon *''Legends of the Space Marines'' (Anthology), "Cover of Darkness" by Mitchel Scanlon p. 77 *''Rogue Star'' (Rogue Trader Novel Series) by Andy Hoare * Salvation's Reach (Novel) by Dan Abnett *''Savage Scars'' (Novel) by Andy Hoare *''Star of Damocles'' (Rogue Trader Novel Series) by Andy Hoare *''The Saint'' (Omnibus) by Dan Abnett *''Warriors of Ultramar'' (Ultramarines Novel Series) by Graham McNeill Gallery File:Post-Heresy White Scars.jpg|White Scars Tactical Marine White_Scars.jpg|Colour Schemes and Wargear of the White Scars File:Mk_XIV_'Bullock'_Pattern_Jetbike.jpg|An ancient Mark XIV Bullock Pattern Imperial Jetbike used by the White Scars Legion White Scars Techmarine.jpg|White Scars Techmarine Close Up of White Scar Marine.jpg|A White Scars Battle-Brother Cpt. Bataar_beckjann-d41uvkv.jpg|A White Scars Veteran Astartes Son_of_the_Emperor_by_Anagorrax.jpg|White Scars Battle-Brother wearing Mark IV Power Armour WS Astartes joins Deathwatch.jpg|White Scars Veteran Battle-Brother, newly sequestered to the Deathwatch Hunt For Voldorius-artwork.jpg|Astartes of the White Scars and the Raven Guard hunt the vile Voldorius Category:W Category:Space Marine Chapters Category:First Founding Category:Sabbat Worlds Crusade Category:Space Marines Category:Imperium Category:White Scars